The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-09-07
4 BLooD-CURDLING TALE.


One OF the most celebrated cases OF
| this kind was that of General Cerv&ntes,
| which occurred, l believe, in 1914. He
was prominent politician, in the prlme
Of life. belonging 70 family Of great
| wealth and ir1iucGce, and the miscreants
who captured him well knew that his
people would move Heaven and earth
for his release. Well, Days and weeks
went by, and though the country was
secured for the missing man no trace OF
him was discovered, or was likely to be
so long as penny could be gained by
his retention. His family spent thou
sands Of dollars in the vain search, and
in repeatedly depositing large sums OF
money Tor his ransom, as Indicated by
mysterious rl&cards, until they were
completely Impoverished; and then.
moved by the tears of his distracted
young wife ard the prayers CT his aged
mother, the government offered a con-
siderable amount Tor lis restoration.
But still no Cervantes appeared. Atlast
by the merest accident he was discover
ed-in the heart OF the populous city
and within stones throw OF his own
dweling-under the floor OF deserted
house, lying fiat upon his back In a
place barely wide enough to hold him,
gagged, bound hand and foot, with
several well-sharpened daggers thrust
within hairs breadth of his body, so
that if he should have stirred ukey would
have pierced him. Having remained so
long in this terrible condition he was
barely alive when found, and it was only
after weeks OF careful nursing, during
which time he lag speechless and his
life hung By a thread, that he was able
to tell his adventures; and meantime, OF
course, the miscreants had ample oppor-
tunity to escape.
It seems that late one evening he was
standing IL his own door, when sudden
ly zerape was thrown over his head by
some unknown persons and drawn SO
tightly as to prevent any outcry; then
ne was placed in carriage and driven
rapidly very long distance, as he sup
posed. Doubtless the rapid drive, they
having returned to nearly the same point
whence they started, WAS intended for
"bIind," and he never believed himself
so near home. The faces of his captors
he never saw, for they were closely
masked, and they visited him only at
night by the dim light O! lanterns. HaV-
ing gagged and bound him, they first
talked OF taking down portion of the
wall ard bricking him him up, leaving
loose place where & brick or two could
be removed when It was necessary to
feed him; but, fortunately for him, they
decided upon the floor as less trouble
some to themselves. Tearing up plank
and placing him under it, he was found
to be too corpulent, despite all their
crowding, to allow the board to fit in the
place again, SO little earth was dug out
to accommodate him with a living
sepulchre. 4 few small holes, bored
above his face, admitted sufficient air to
keep him in existence, and there he re-
mainsd for weeks, helpless, voiceless,
entombed alive within sight and sound OF
his home, while his friends we're ran
sacking the world for him. Every night
his captors came, removed the plank and
hauled him up, and with the point OF a
dagger at his throat took out the gag
and gave him food, and then walked him
up and down the room awhile for exer-
else. By and by he grew so weak as to
be incapable of outcry or resistance. aad
then his keepers forced stimulants down
his throat, and dragged him about for
needed exercise, desiring to keep the
breath of life III linn as long as money
might be forthcoming. Finally, be-
lieving him about dead and that all re-
sources of profit had been exhausted,
they added mental torture to his misery
by assuring him that his friends had re-
fused to pay anything for his ransom,
and, crowding him under the plank
again, they left him to die at leisure. It
happened that very night that heavy
storm came up, and oeggar entered
the deserted dwelling for shelter, by
chance seating himself upon the board
under which Cervantes lay. Hearing
faint moaning, apparently proceeding
IRON the lower regions, the fellow was
! frightened nearly to death, believing
". it came from some ghost, and he
ran stan ltway to the nearest priest.
Strangely enough, in this lazy country,
where superstit1v;ls ianc:es ere OF com
mon occurrence, scare, was instituted,
and what remained Of poor Cervantes
was rescueG-nOG an hour too soon.